Rosegold wasn't sure of what sort of "place" she and the other girls held, so she waited to raise her cup until the headmistress led the toast. What she said after that was a different sort of alarming, though. Rosegold hadn't realized just what the stakes were for coming here, or for that matter how they would be sorted out. So she wouldn't just be classmates with the others, they would be her direct competitors. Where she came from, if people were going to enter into a contest to take leadership, they'd better watch their backs.

She turned to survey them now, with one red eye. Some seemed quiet; one seemed flowery in her speech, another more practical, but both clearly aware of the appropriate things to say in the situation. Visually, they were quite the distinct bunch. It was her first time seeing a gathering of people from different lands, and their appearances seemed to reflect their differences in geography... or maybe everyone else just looked more varied from each other than the people of Harraf, she supposed.

She turned back to the front of the room after that. "What sort of competitions will there be?" she asked bluntly. The others might be familiar with courtly manners, but she wasn't. If she had a question she might as well ask it, was her way of thinking.

Tarina nodded her support for Rosegold's question, tacking her own query onto it.  If the contest was anything like an election, then results were only a part of it.  Personality & aspirations were equally as valid factors.

"And how many contests can we expect, Madam Fae?  When you say that the results will be reported to the citizens, will other things be reported to them?  I imagine they might wonder at our personality and backgrounds..."

Joanna gave Tarina a sharp nudge in the back that elicited a small 'oww' from the redheaded noble.  "Don't be rude."

The magician writer smiled at the questions, an enthusiastic grin that almost reached the beauty mark on her cheek. Not waiting for the headmistress to speak, she stepped forward, her golden eyes gazing over the students as she spoke. "The contests will test your skills as a ruler. Not just a ruler actually, but a princess of legend! We shall have one trial each month, save for the month of crowning, so twelve in total. Not all will be contests against one another, and oftentimes each of you will need to decide how to accomplish your tasks. Of course that is the mark of a ruler, the ability to judge and lead with a clear head."

She playfully twirled the auburn braid on her shoulder, then pointed to the door. "The first task begins today. Out in the fields to the north of the academy, a unicorn shall appear to those pure of heart. Find a way to bring the creature to the pens by the academy and you shall be praised. You may work alone, or in groups. The contest shall conclude when a unicorn is brought to the pens, or when the sun sets and the supper bell chimes. Come, follow me!" She rushed ahead enthusiastically, like she was going to be the one about to wrangle a unicorn.

The writer led the girls outside. The autumn air was crisp, a light breeze rustled the dried leaves lining the surrounding forest. It was well known how vast and confusing the Heartstring Forest could be. Typically students were forbidden from wandering, but this task didn't seem to have limits on movement or ingenuity imposed. Clara stopped by the stables to the north, then pointed further, a large and open field of grass clinging to the last of its vibrancy.

Save for a pond where fish would swim and animals would drink, it seemed empty at first glance, with most magical creatures preferring to keep deeper in the woods. It would be up to them how they would tackle the conundrum, either finding a way to lure a unicorn out, or traveling deeper to find one...

Tarina sought to team up with her fellow 'princesses', asking them all equally.  Getting Shira or Silverpaw on board would be fantastic, but she was willing to take just about any help.

"Is anyone interested in grouping up?  I have an idea, but with this sort of task... I'd love the extra help."

Joanne tried to look as disapproving as possible, but avoided direct interference.  She had only limited authority here.  Best to keep her distance and hope that the Unicorn attacked Tarina (or something similar).

"I would be glad to help." Shira replied immediately to the older girl, before she even began to think of a strategy herself, whether completing the task or what it meant to team up with others. She was always eager to impress, particularly since it seemed that almost everyone else was especially high class. "Pray, what thoughts are hidden beneath those autumn-leaf locks, my new comrade?" A smile flashed on her face, one she was clearly trying to hold back to appear a bit more mature among her elders.

Eleanor stepped forward as well. "I would like to help as well if you don't mind. Oh I'm Eleanor by the way. Nice to meet you all." Eleanor usually wasn't one for teaming up with others as she quite the independent spirit, but she felt this current situation required team work as opposed to solo work. If anything gain she'd gain some serious insight knowledge on her fellow comrades and who knows maybe even make a few friends. That'd be nice...to have friends to hang out with.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:42, Thu 03 Nov 2016.

Eleanor was immediately accepted.

"Of course, the more the merrier.  And we should do introductions... I am Tarina Raptori, from the Fiefdom of Dayspring."

Allowing for more of the others to join the group (if they wanted to), Tarina then shared her idea in a sort of 'princess huddle'... off to the side.

"I once met a man who had a particular skill in 'borrowing' horses.  He said the greatest tool in his arsenal was a bag of treats... apples, carrots, and sugar cubes.  I think we can use such a technique to befriend the unicorn.  I also think that if we borrow a horse brush from the stables, our success rate will increase.  We already have a gifted speaker whose words are sure to attract a unicorn."

Tarina indicated that Shira was the gifted speaker with a nod of her head.  As for Eleanor, Tarina was certain she had some talents that could prove beneficial.

"Unicorns aren't typical equine creatures," Silverpaw piped up, having stood up and approached the group, adjusting her glasses. "They're magical beings purported to appear to someone 'pure', though accounts differ on what exactly constitutes purity."

She paused, the familiar perched on her shoulder draped its twin tails around the opposite shoulder, intelligently watching them all, but pointedly staring at Tarina's keeper, Joanne.

"I'm Silverpaw, by the way, of the Sylduran-Sidhe nation."

Anemone's trip outside wasn't immediate. Instead, for a moment, she stared at Linda. The Fairy Godmother had made no effort to stop the craziness that she knew all too well was about to ensue. But, instead of confronting her precious mentor about the situation, she stood up and followed the crowd. No need to get in anyone's way. In fact, being the last one out of the infested dining hall, she shut the doors behind them. A Unicorn? Didn't anyone know that those things only responded to the purest of maidens. Getting any of the girls there, herself included, to tame one was out of the question.

For a while she watched the other groups talk to each other... Some girls decided to go solo - which was probably the least wise thing they could do. Others made a move to form small circles, each one strategising. Anemone, eventually, decided to listen into one of the groups. There was no way she'd win this competition, so it was best for her to simply observe.

It seemed as though the particularly rag-tag group she had decided to watch had a plan. Sugar cubes? Carrots? Apples? A smile came to her face, "My apologies for interrupting, but I know where there's an orchard if you're looking for apples."

The wide smile of Shira's face broke through when Tarina indicated towards her. She puffed up and introduced herself with an unrestrained enthusiasm. "Shira Edelfelt! Born and raised in the capital." She gave a flourishing bow to the other girls, her wavy hair flopping over her face.

Pausing for a moment to let the reddening of her cheeks subside, she straightened and pulled her hair back like nothing had happened. She smiled to the yet-introduced Elenor and Anemone, the later who seemed to know her way around the academy grounds, and by extension the apples. "How fine that everyone should work together." She gave a curious glance towards Rosegold, an inviting cock of her head wordlessly asking if 'everyone' present at the moment might want to be involved.

"Surely like water, the purity of our hearts can not come into question if all are able to drink from them. Tis it not so, Silverpaw?" She grinned at the knowledgeable one for a moment, but then looked to the side, wondering if her metaphor somehow turned out a bit grisly.

"Well it looks like almost everyone is on board.  And even though Unicorns aren't the same as horses, treating them with respect and gifts surely wouldn't hurt, especially if we want to coax one back to the stables.  Are you well read on the topic, Silverpaw?  If we knew where Unicorns liked to go, we could start our search there."

Tarina also nodded her agreement to Anemone's suggestion.  This girl seemed to know the area and that was a very good thing.

"Visiting the orchid for a few fresh apples sounds like a good idea.  Lets collect the horse brush on the way and be off... unless anyone has something else to add."

Meanwhile Joanne looked at the Lia's familiar with some unease, moving back to keep company with the 'adults'.  She'd fought Sidhe bandits before and the haughty Syldurans weren't much better (in her book).

Good grief, Rosegold thought when she learned she was in training to be a "princess of legend." She'd already been knocked out of the running of even being a leader in her own homeland, so how was she supposed to set her aspirations that much higher? At the same time, though, she could hardly just step out of the running. If things were going to be reported so widely and seriously like that, it meant she had to stay here and represent her homeland as best she could. Her family's name could rise or fall with her own accomplishments, or lack thereof. That was a lot of pressure.

Of course, she also had no idea how to catch a unicorn. She barely even knew what one was - they were even less common at home than in general. So she appreciated Tarina and then Shira inviting her along. "Sure, I'll join in too," she said, adding her voice to the others. "I'm Rosegold Aleya, from Harraf. Nice to meet you all." It felt kind of strange to introduce herself so casually in a competition, compared to how things were usually done back home, but she wasn't so set on winning as to seize the chance to strike first. "Ah... if there's going to be a net or traps involved, I can help with that, but I'm not used to dealing with other creatures otherwise."

"Hello Rosegold, welcome to the group.  Just contribute what you can... and if not today, then perhaps on some later challenge."

If there was nothing else, Tarina let the group make a start.  She collected the horsebrush and then turned over the lead to Anemone (since she knew the way to the orchid).  On the way there, Tarina sought to strike up a conversation with some of the other girls... she really didn't mind who.

"So we have myself, Eleanor, Shira, Silverpaw, Rosegold, and our unnamed guide.  And we're all from different lands too.  This might be some sort of weird competition that we've all fallen into, but I for one would love some female company.  Perhaps some of you might know about the isolation of nobility... and the restrictions placed upon us.  I'm hoping for a bit more freedom at the academy..."

Silverpaw shrugged in response as a few others joined their intrepid little group, looking at Tarina with a mixture of confusion and blase ignorance. "Competition?" She queried, chewing on her lower lip and rolling her eyes. She was here because her family needed their precious daughter elevate on a pedestal that her secluded activities couldn't provide. While she made not attempt at reading the other girls, she likely the wasn't the only one none too keen on taking a position of power.

. . .She was probably the only one crazy intuitive enough to hand it off at the first opportunity, though.

Fishing out a small cloth from a pouch at her hip, she pulled her glasses off in order to clean them, her eyes nearly instantly unfocusing in the daylight as she squinted. "Unicorns are creatures of magic, and tend to mill about places of untapped wild energy. Secluded lakes, waterfalls, natural clearings in woods. . .Like also attracts like. Kog," She nodded her head backward at her familiar, whose tail twitched as something coalesced in its mouth, taking advantage of its masters sudden deprivation of sight to lob. . .something, at Joanna. "She's a magical being. A unicorn would be more willing to approach if it saw that another benevolent mystical creature accompanying the people trying to approach it."

She pulled her glasses back on, blinking and looking around as she began to follow the group. Of course, elves being naturally magical by nature she neglected to mention that she, herself, fell under that same criteria. "As far as the 'purity' issue goes. . .Assuming we're all virgins, the issue then comes to innocence. As long as we have absolutely no intention of harming it, it won't be scared off." At that, she did quiet, blinking as a light blush began to spread on her cheeks.

"Anemone Narcissus of the Principality of Miston," She said with a slight bow, touching the edges of her silk skirt with the tips of her fingers. Then, she said, "I'm Linda's apprentice, though I have no magical talent what-so-ever. It is a shame, really... But it allows me to explore the grounds a bit more."

She then looked to Lia, the girl who seemed to be - strikingly - the most capable out of the bunch. Or the one who had at least the most technical knowledge when it came to the subject of Magical Beasts. Then there came the problem... Unicorns tended to avoid her, along with most of the other good creatures of the forest. But, that wasn't going to dissuade her from trying to help, "I'll part ways with you once we reach the orchard, and try to scout ahead. Just to see if there's any chance that our new friend might be just beyond the horizon."

Joanna muttered a light curse as she was hit with familiar spit.  Her 'love' for all things elvish only degraded after that...

"We would hear waterfalls if there were any nearby, but a clearing might be easier to find.  Lets try for that."

Tarina covered her mouth with a hand (on the pretense of contemplation)... while trying to hide her smirk at Joanna getting some long overdue comeuppance.  She then turned to Anemone.

"And what duties do you do as Linda's apprentice?  Obviously you'd not say a bad word about her, but I'd like to hear anything about our 'headmistress'."

"...All right, thanks," Rosegold answered Tarina's welcome after a momentary delay. She'd been thinking, in that time, it was hard to believe there'd be any challenges suited to a princess that Rosegold would be good at. But one never knew. "I guess freedom is good, as long as it's safe here," she sort-of concurred with the subject of the restrictions of liberty. Where she came from, she was "free" to wander around or whatever, except that going out by oneself was a good way to die in a hurry.

The criteria for actually meeting a unicorn were certainly bizarre, though. She almost wondered if Lia was making fun of the less informed among them. "A unicorn can tell those things? How?" she asked.

Eleanor knew plenty about magical beasts but not nearly enough to warrant her an expert in any way. As such she just went with the flow of the group. "I'm pretty handy with a bow and arrow, but since I seriously doubt we're going to need that kind of skill in this challenge I'll keep it on the back burner for the time being. Either way I'll be happy to lend a hand whenever and wherever is necessary."

There indeed was no sound of a waterfall nearby, however there was a clear stream running along the upper edge of the field, which logic dictated had to come from somewhere. Luckilly though, they wouldn't necessarily need to go so far just yet. Once they were ready to go out to the orchard, they might hear the sounds of galloping just beyond the trees. The orchard was filled with bright apples in crimson, gold, and lime, none of which were touching the ground; either they had not yet fallen, or what had was taken.

The yellow delicious trees seemed particularly bare. It seemed all the apples left on said trees were a bit out of reach, even for the tallest in the group that led them there.

"Well... I... Umm... Mostly help fetch ingredients for the potions she makes, catalogue records for her whenever she grants a new wish, take an extra class... But it's mostly to make sure she can give me the medicine I need to stay fighting fit!" She explained as they reached the orchard. With a glance up, he remembered a few things, "Somewhere around here there's a basket. I can knock a few apples off of the branches if someone can find and collect them. It's been forever since I climbed a tree... But that's something you don't forget how to do."

Tarina nodded along to Anemone's explanation of her apprentice duties.  It sounded a little dull, but she suspected that the girl was merely downplaying things she felt were 'normal'.  Having access to 'wish records' sounded like a bit of fun (her darker half would probably be very interested indeed).  Being the curious sort, Tarina wondered what the Fairy Godmother 'charged' for a wish.

"Are there many wishes, or is it a 'once a season' thing?  There's not a lot of magic back home, so pardon my ignorance.  I'm surprised the Godmother doesn't have a line of petitioners at her door."

While Dayspring had its share of scenic countryside, this orchid put most of those to shame.  Tarina couldn't help but pause to admire the view.

"This place would be just magical, after dark.  Oh right, a basket.  Hmmm..."

Tarina looked around the orchid to see what she could find/borrow.  Maybe even a bit of cloth to stop the falling apples from bruising.

It sounded like an odd job to be apprenticed to a fairy godmother, at least compared to what Rosegold was used to. She listened to the others discuss it, but didn't interject, as she examined the tree they seemed to have settled on. She might be able to hook a few apples off it with her umbrella, but she supposed they'd just fall to the ground - with one eye she'd have a tough time catching them.

Maybe she could put it to a reversed use, though. "Would this work?" she asked, before she opened her umbrella and flipped it upside-down in her grip, so that it did in fact slightly resemble a basket.

"Plenty, but she doesn't grant every one. Only those that she thinks will yield a happy ending. Giving someone what they desire isn't the same thing as giving someone what they need. But, it's pretty cool when things do work out!" Anemone responded with a smile and a flick of her curly oak hued hair. She knew a thing or two about wishes, but certainly not everything. To be honest most of the things she did for Madame Fae were busy work. It wasn't as if she had a role to play that was bigger than the other students. It was more work with a reward that she required, "Agreed. I wish we could leave the academy more often. Very few humans are able to enter these woods. Though, they make exceptions for the purest of maidens and the most heroic of princes."

Then, her attention turned to Rosegold. The umbrella was absolutely perfect. Anemone knew her aim, it was pretty good despite. Her arms were strong, though they were hidden mostly by the long sleeves of her silk dress. Clapping her hands together, she nodded, "Absolutely perfect! I'll throw the apples down to you all. If you catch one, put it in the umbrella. We'll need a few so that we have several tries."

There were a few things she had to do before she could climb the tree. The first was to roll up those sleeves, revealing the strange form of her arms. As mentioned before, they were muscular, and slightly more hairy then most girls her age. Though the hair was white, indicating that she had been using the potions that a few of the girls had been learning how to make in order to dye her own locks. They, she hiked up her dress. Similarly her legs were slightly thicker than they should have been for someone of her body-type. Lastly her shoes and socks were discarded on the ground. Cast aside in favor of bare feet. The dew coated grass felt pleasant on Anemone's bare toes, tickling her slightly. It had been so long since she last felt the soil on her heels. Perhaps since before she left home to study.

Then, she began her ascent. Though the first branch wasn't particularly close to the ground her feet adeptly found nooks and crannies in the tree while her arms snaked around the trunk. The sensation of climbing a tree reminded her of her days with Adam, back when no one really cared about who or what she was more than they should have. Everyone thought he had stowed away with a lover. She knew that wasn't the case - Adam had never been interested in women. It took maybe a minute for her to reach the lowest branch, but once she did things moved much faster.

Reaching the top of the tree, Anemone grasped an apple in her hand. The skin of the fruit was tinted red and green, ever so slightly glossy, but completely imperfect in it's shape. It wasn't pure, but a Unicorn wouldn't really reject it. A piece of food wasn't a human. Gently she tossed it down, aiming between Lia and Shira so one of them could catch it. The next descended shortly after towards Rosegold and Tarina.

Shira watched Anemone as she climbed up the tree. It seemed the girls of this academy were stronger than the princesses of fairytales. At that thought, she glanced at Rosegold too, who had mentioned trapping. Did that mean this contest was actually a show of power and skill? But then Lia and Tarina had said they could only catch the unicorn if they didn't threaten it. As she mulled that over, she noticed the apple falling down through the air.

She took the chance to side-step eagerly towards the apple like a dog to a ball. She forgot that Silverpaw was standing by her, in the same direction that the poet leapt. Shira would likely catch the apple, but if the half-elf went for it too, a collision was almost assured.